Hey Finns!

[Diamond]

In 2000 a Finnish guy Janne Suni composed a C64-style music track ("Acidjazzed Evening") for Assembly 2000 demoparty, a competition in computer art, held in Helsinki, Finland (Later this track was remade by Glenn Gallefoss with Janne's express permission).

 

Fast forward to 2005. American hip hop and R&B record producer Timbaland releases a ringtone on MSN music ("Block Party"), which is exactly the same song with an added beat! In 2007 Timbaland uses the same exact track for a new song "Do It" as a part of Nelly Furtado's album. The similarity between music tracks is astonishing!.

 

 

 

Now, see (or, rather, hear) it for yourself:

• Original MOD track (MP3 format)
  
• 2005's ringtone
  
• 
  
• 
  

Some people comment "hey, come on, this is sampling, that's what hip hop does all the time".

 

 

But this is NOT sampling, this [very naughty plagiarist] STOLE THE WHOLE FRIGGIN' SONG!

 

 

 

(Wikipedia article)

Edited January 25, 2007 by metadigital

[Xard]

Yeah, I read about this some time afo.

 

Sucky

[Diamond]

Worse yet, some people think it is OK, if not good for the musician!

[Sand]

I think there should be royalties paid.

[Surreptishus]

Was Acid Jazzed evening ever included as a demo track with any home studio packages?

 

Either way, its cheeky of Timbo to pass it off as his own work. He should refund the $250k to Ms Furtado. Or pass it on to the finnish guy...so that he can watch some hentai or whatever.

Edited January 25, 2007 by Surreptishus

[Sturm]

BURN THE AMERICAN PLAGERISERS!

[Gorgon]

If you have a music copyright it doesen't matter if you stole it from someone else. If that someone doesen't have the funds to tangle with the label's legal department there ain't a thing they can do.

[roshan]

Americans are hypocrites, they want to protect their copyrights and patents while freely ripping off people from all over the world. In India various traditional remedies including those of tribal peoples have been patented by Japanese and American firms.

 

Thats why I fully support the violation of all American and Japanese copyrights and patents except for good CRPGs.

[Diamond]

If you have a music copyright it doesen't matter if you stole it from someone else. If that someone doesen't have the funds to tangle with the label's legal department there ain't a thing they can do.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Things might change soon.

I have been using the services of a law firm since September 2006. Things are gradually developing behind the scenes, and whatever the result turns out to be like, I'll publish any available info here as soon as possible.

[metadigital]

If you have a music copyright it doesen't matter if you stole it from someone else. If that someone doesen't have the funds to tangle with the label's legal department there ain't a thing they can do.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's not even slightly true.

 

Even disregarding pro-bono work, any US legal would jump at the chance to make free money, leveraging their risk with a fatter percentage of the damages when they win.

 

Americans are hypocrites, they want to protect their copyrights and patents while freely ripping off people from all over the world. In India various traditional remedies including those of tribal peoples have been patented by Japanese and American firms.

 

Thats why I fully support the violation of all American and Japanese copyrights and patents except for good CRPGs.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, ALL AMERICANS. Those Native Americans, those Brazilians, every single person in the whole USA, they all cheat India out of her herbal remedies.

 

Exaggerate much?

 

And I know that you aren't advocating piracy on the Obsidian corporate forum, because I'd have to give you a formal warning for that.

[kumquatq3]

Americans are hypocrites, they want to protect their copyrights and patents while freely ripping off people from all over the world. In India various traditional remedies including those of tribal peoples have been patented by Japanese and American firms.

 

Thats why I fully support the violation of all American and Japanese copyrights and patents except for good CRPGs.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Wow, you can justify just about anything, can't you

[Gorgon]

I higly doubt that law firms spend much time throwing pro bono work to empoverished Finnish coders.

 

It only took 70 years, but it looks like the heirs are finally getting something out of a lawsuit, and more importantly, the effect of public outrage.

 

 

http://www.southafrica.info/ess_info/sa_gl...bube-210206.htm

Edited January 25, 2007 by Gorgon

[metadigital]

I highly doubt that law firms spend much time throwing pro bono work to impoverished Finnish coders.

 

It only took half a century, but it looks like he's finally getting something out of a lawsuit.

 

http://www.southafrica.info/ess_info/sa_gl...bube-210206.htm

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If you read my post, you will see I didn't mention pro-bono. I explicitly excluded it. And if you don't think that there would be dozens of law firms chasing after a few million dollars (the US legal system has punitive damages, don't forget), then you are deluded. Sure it might take some time, but the Finnish guy wasn't doing a lot of promotion, anyway, so it's all gravy for him.

[Gorgon]

You said, 'even disregarding' now what was the reason for writing that if not to suggest that such a thing were possible.

 

What makes a good cash cow for a lawfirm and actually getting whats rigthfully yours don't coincide that often.

 

 

"The settlement came about as a result of pressure from various sectors of society, both in South Africa and overseas," family lawyer Hanro Friedrich told Business Day at the time of the settlement.

Edited January 25, 2007 by Gorgon

[metadigital]

Are you suggesting that under no circumstances would a legal firm take up his case pro-bono?

 

I can recall the Rolling Stones successfully suing someone who had sampled some of their work, in similar circumstances, only in the last few years.

 

So the precedent is already there.

 

I suspect the fact that Solomon Linda was black, from South Africa, and the song was published in 1939, all contributed to the length of time it took to find someone interested in his case.

[Gorgon]

'Even disregarding' is a popular way to sneak an inappropriate agrument in the backdoor at reduced effectiveness, thats what you were indulging in.

 

Taking 30 or even 50% of the settlement as payment is hardly pro bono, and thats the usual arrangement in longshot lawsuits against big business on behalf of people who can't pay.

 

The case was in legal limbo for 6 years, and as stated the settlement came about only because it was discovered and made a cause de jour by rolling stone magazine.

 

The stones are wealthier than most small countries, I don't think they make a particularly good example, although i'm sure there are more cases of rags to copyright infringement riches out there. The odds however, are always stacked in favor of the party with the most money to spend on lawyers.

Edited January 25, 2007 by Gorgon

[metadigital]

I mentioned pro-bono it for completeness. As I always do. It is part of the possible solutions.

 

I mentioned the Stones because that is a very prominent and recent case, and, if I have recall of it, then it most assuredly is in the public domain and that every lawyer remotely interested in music would know about it too. It's probably why Solomon Linda actually got his result.

 

If anything, your example of a Zulu farmer from before WW2 is more misleading than helpful.

[~Di]

Hmm. After reading all the various and sundry piracy threads over the years, I thought y'all believed copyrights were something to be ignored while stealing... er, downloading ... somebody else's music and video games.

 

Guess it all depends on who is the stealer and who is the stealee, eh? LOL!

[Gorgon]

"If anything, your example of a Zulu farmer from before WW2 is more misleading than helpful"

 

The case and settlement are very recent, haven't you been paying attention ?

Edited January 25, 2007 by Gorgon

[kirottu]

"Hey finns"

 

Hi.

[Diamond]

Hmm.  After reading all the various and sundry piracy threads over the years,  I thought y'all believed copyrights were something to be ignored while stealing... er, downloading ... somebody else's music and video games.

 

Guess it all depends on who is the stealer and who is the stealee, eh?  LOL!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes we are all hypocrites. Though this case is a little different. Torrent downloaders do not sell their downloads for money or pass it as their own work.

[Darque]

Thread pruned.

 

Quoting single posts just to add fuel to the fire does very little to advance the discussion unless you actually reply to the quote to further said discussion.

 

Also, generalizing the entire population of an entire country is a sad thing to do.

[Laozi]

Also, generalizing the entire population of an entire country is a sad thing to do.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

Yeah, americans have always been really bad at doing that.

[Darque]

Ok, time to close this one.